School starts for me this week and I'm preparing to get back into the regular groove. But if you're lucky to have another week or two of summer vacation, maybe you want to relax with a good summer read. Here are a few of the books I enjoyed over the last few months (in addition to all seven of the Harry Potter books--whew!).
Buried Prey by John Sandford = The latest Lucas Davenport novel uses flashbacks to fill in Davenport's backstory of his law enforcement career beginnings. It's a great police thriller crafted with Sandford's usual crisp dialogue. (I can't wait for the new Virgil Flowers novel on Oct. 4, either.)
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett = Patchett released a book this summer called The State of Wonder. I decided to read her bestseller from 2008 instead. After the first chapter, I was hooked. Patchett took a premise that would generally be associated with a suspense genre--a hostage situation--and crafted it into a beautiful literary masterpiece with strong characters. The words were a pleasure to read and almost made the outcome of the story superfluous. Almost.
Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson = A futuristic thriller that I literally could not put down, this book's premise is chilling, when we realize how much we rely on technology and robots. Can machines revolt and destroy humankind? Fine sci-fi escapism.
Words in the Dust by Trent Reedy = This is a thought-provoking book for young adults, telling the story of Zulaikha, a young girl in Afghanistan born with a cleft palate. Reedy deals with several complex themes, including women's rights, cultural differences and the presence of American military in the Middle East. The best part? The questions that the novel raises in the reader's mind could make an excellent springboard for an engaging discussion about world affairs.
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